Filling machine



July 14, 1942. I H MONDLOQH 'FILLING MACHINE 2 :sheets-sh@l 1 Filed`July 26, 1940 T F1E l HENRY MONDLacH @KJV Q July 14, 1942. H. MoN'DLOc-H2,289,852

FILLING MACHINE Filed July 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /3 f /36 5 l raeV/z 5 v v Z6 zz/ /4 ai 155 ('/4 6 Z0 /7 5 o 8 as 7 a G4 Z4 32 37 gmc/WLMHENRY Mo/voLocH Patented July 14, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEFILLING MACHINE Application July 26, 1940, Serial No. 347,714

7 Claims. l (Ol. 226-71) This invention relates to machine for packingcommodities in receptacles such as cans or jars.

A machine of the type with which the invention is concerned is disclosedin the patent to W. F. Christel No. 2,150,490, issued March 14, 1939. Inmachines of this type the cans are carried around in a circle with theiropen ends in registry with filling openings in the periphery of arevolving table. The material is filled into the cans through a hopperpositioned above the filling openings in the table and in the path oftravel thereof.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved means forpacking the cornmodity down into the can after the can has been filled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packer which is adaptedto introduce juice or brine into the can as it is'pressing the contentsdown into the can. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved packerconstruction whereby the presser heads remain in the cans throughout alonger path of travel of the cans than was heretofore obtainable. f

Another object of the invention is to provide a packer construction bywhich the diameter of the presser head and the depth of penetrationthereof may be advantageously increased.

Other objects will become apparent after the disclosure of a machine inwhich the invention has been embodied.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the packer taken as indicated by the arrows3-3 in Fig. 2 and showing the cooperation of the presser heads with thecans.

The machine comprises a revolving table I (Figs. 1 and 2) having aseries of filling openings |I arranged around its periphery. Eachiilling opening I| has a downwardly projecting lip I2 for fitting intothe open end of the can. The central portion I3 of the table I0 isdepressed to form a bowl for the reception of excess material. The tableI0 is supported upon and rigidly secured to the wheel |4 having acentral protuberance I5 for supporting the center of the bowl portion I3and having an upstanding peripheral iiange I6 for supporting theperipheral portion of the table I0. A feed ring I1 is carried by thewheel I4 and is provided with feed fingers I8. Intermediate the fingersI8 are formed arcuate openings or pockets I9 into which the can ts andwhich serve to center the can in registry with the lling openings I I.

A stationary track 20 comprising two spacedapart concentric rails 2|, 22is provided for supporting the cans during their travel around with thetable, the fingers I8 engaging the walls of the cans to advance the cansalong the track 20. As shown in Fig. 2, the rails 2| and 22 are mountedin xed position by means of brackets 23 attached to the frame 24 of themachine. A circular fixed guide rail 25 is supported on brackets 26concentric with the table I0 to retain the cans in the arcuate openingsI9 of the feed ring I1.

The wheel I4 is supported on a vertical shaft 21, the upper end of whichis received in the bore of the hub 28 of the Wheel I4. A collar 29 issecured to the shaft 21 by a pin 30. The shaft 21 is supported by a wormwheel 3|, into the hub 32 of which the shaft 21 is threaded. The wormwheel 3| is supported in a bearing 33 mounted in the central portion 34of the machine framework 24.

In order to transmit rotation from the worm wheel 3| to the wheel I4 thelatter is provided with plunger rods 35 secured in bosses 35 formedintegrally with the table I4. The rods 35 slidably engage bores 31formed in upstanding bosses 38 on the worm wheel 3|. A set screw 39 isthreaded through the hub 32 of the worm wheel and bears against theshaft 21 to lock the worm wheel and shaft together in any adjustedposition. The threaded shaft 21 is rotated to raise and lower the tableI0 with respect to the track 20 in order to enable the machine toaccommodate cans of different height. Rotation of the worm wheel 3| istransmitted through the rodsv 35 to the wheel I4 so that the table I0rotates in unison with the worm wheel 3|.

The means for driving the worm wheel 3| is shown in phantom in Fig. 1.The worm wheel 3| is driven by a worm 40 on a shaft 4| which is drivenfrom a power shaft 42 by bevel gears 43. The outer end of the powershaft 42 has a pulley 44 adapted to be driven from a source of power notshown.

'Ihe shaft 4| is connected by means of a flexible drive 45 to a shaft 46having a screw thread 41 thereon. The screw 41 is located in the bottomof a feed hopper 48 having a discharge outlet 49 disposed above the pathof travel of the lling openings of the table I0. The other end of theshaft 46 is connected by means of bevel gears 50 to the shaft 5| of awiper 52.

The packer wheel indicated generally at 53 (Fig. 1) comprises a seriesof presser heads 54 each secured to the end of an arm 55. The arms 55are formed integrally with a hub 55 from which they radiate in themanner of the spokes of a wheel except that each arm 55 is disposed atan angle to the axis of rotation of the hub 56. The hub 55 (Fig. 2f) ofthe packer wheel is rotatably mounted on a hollow axle l which issecurely held in an inclined position in a bracket 58 having a clampinghead 5S. The wheel is retained on the axle 5l by means of a disc 60engaging the end of the hub 56 and secured to the axle 51 by means ofthe screw 6I. The bracket 58 has a portion 62 formed to fit in a guideway 53. The guide way 53 is formed in a bracket 64 which is rigidlysecured to the frame 2li. The bracket 53 can be slid up and down in theguide way 53 and fastened in any vertically adjusted position by meansof bolts 65 and 55.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the angle formed at theintersection of the vertical axis of the table and the inclined axis ofthe axle is equal to the angle which each arm makes with the axle sothat in the bottom dead center position of the arm it depends verticallyinto the can and is disposed parallel to the vertical axis of rotationof the table.

In order to introduce liquids such as juice or brine into the can thearms or spokes 55 of the packer wheel 55 have passages 5l formed thereinwhich communicate with a port 58 in the fixed hollow axle 5i when thearm 55 is in the vertical depending position with the presser head 54disposed within the can. The liquid to be introduced into the can issupplied to the interior of the hollow axle 5l by means of a pipe 55(Fig. l) which is attached te an opening 'i0 (Fig. 2) provided in theaxle 5l. The pipe 59 is omitted in Fig. 2 to simplify and clarify theView.

The operation of the machine will now be described. The table i5 isvertically adjusted by means of the screw shaft 2l to accommodate theheight of can to be filled. The shaft 2'! is then locked by means of theset screw 39. The bracket 58 is vertically adjusted on its guide way 53in order to obtain the desired penetration of the presser heads 55 intothe cans. When this adjustment has been made the bracket is locked bymeans of the bolts ,65 and 55. Power is then applied to the pulley M andthe table i5 is rotated.

The cans are deposited on a rotary feed disc 1I (Fig. 1) which carriesthem around in a clockwise direction. A fixed guide rail l2 directs thecans toward the feed Wheel il and a member i3 pivoted at 'M and urged bya spring T5 aids in positioning the cans one by one in the pockets I9 ofthe feed wheel. Each can after being engaged by the fingers i8 istransferred from the disc 'H to the track 20 which begins adjacent theperiphery of the feed disc ll. The cans are guided into the pockets i9and retained therein by the guide rail 25 which has a curved end l5overlying the feed disc 7|. In this manner the cans are positioned withtheir open ends in registry with the lling openings ll and are carriedaround on the track 25 in their filling position by rotation of the feedring Il.

The commodity to be filled in the cans is placed in the hopper 48. Asthe filling openings Il pass under the discharge outlet 49 of the hopperthe material is deposited in the cans. The screw 4l rotates in adirection to move the material in the opposite direction to thedirection of movement of the cans and serves to facilitate transfer ofthe commodity from the hopper to the can. When the filling opening IIpasses out of registry with the discharge outlet 49 of the hopper 48 thecan is filled to the brim with material and some excess material isdisposed Within the depending lip I2 of the filling opening ll. Theexcess material is removed by means of the rotating wiper 52 which isdriven from the screw shaft d5 by the bevel gears 5E). The material iswiped toward the center of the table I0 where it collects in the bowlI3.

As the table l] rotates, the presser heads 54 of the packer wheel 53engage in the filling open ings Il and rotation of the table thus causesrotation of the wheel. As best shown in Fig. 3 each presser head isprovided with two fins 14 and '15. These fins are disposed indiametrically opposite positions on the presser head and the presserhead is secured to the arm 55 in a predetermined position, so that whenthe arm 55 is in the vertically depending position the fins lie in aplane substantially tangent to the circular path of the cans, or, inother words, perpendicular to the section line 2-2 in Fig. l. The actualengagement between the presser head and the table l0 takes place, asshown in Fig. 3, between the lip I2 of the opening H and the n i5 on thepresser head 54.

By reason of the fact that the arms 55 are disposed at an angle to theaxle 5l and the axle 5l is disposed with its axis inclined to the axisof rotation of the table, the presser heads are enabled to engage in thelling openings Il in advance of the dead center or vertically dependingposition of the arm 55. Likewise, the presser head remains in thefilling opening for an equal distance beyond the dead center position.By this construction the presser head is enabled to follow the path ofmovement of the filling opening through a portion of its path of travel.The presser head and the filling opening have approximately the same arcof travel during the time the presser head is disposed in the llingopening. If the packer wheel 53 with its angularly disposed spokes andinclined axis is considered as a cone of revolution, the intersection ofthis cone with the disc of the table would be an arc.

The presser heads 54 enter the can and pack the commodity down into thecan to a predetermined level below the brim, depending upon the heightof adjustment of the bracket 58 (Fig. 2). While the presser head isdisposed in the can the port 53 is uncovered and the juice or brine isdischarged through the passage 67 in the arm 55 and added to thecontents of the can.

After leaving the packer wheel the cans are deposited on a rotarydischarge disc 8) (Fig. l). The track 25 ends at 3l above the disc -Band likewise the guide rail 25 ends at S2. The feed wheel il moves thecans off the end of the track onto the disc 35. The cans are disengagedfrom the pockets i9 in the feed wheel il by a stationary rake 83 havingan end 85 which projects under the feed wheel into the path of the cans,and having an arcuate portion 85 which guides the cans around in thedirection of rotation of the discharge disc indicated by the arrow 86.

By employing the packer wheel construction of my invention the presserhead is able to follow the path of the can and remain therein for alonger period so that the packer has a better opportunity to perform itsfunctions. At the same time, the presser head can be caused to penetratedeeper into the can than was previously possible. In addition, thiscoincident-path construction permits the use of larger diameter presserheads.

While I have described a particular embodiment of the present invention,it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made inthe details without departing from the spirit of the present inventionand the scope ci the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by U` S. Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for filling material into containers such as cans andthe like, having means for conveying the containers around in a circleabout a vertical axis, means for pressing the material into thecontainer, comprising an arm having a presser head thereon, said armbeing journaled on an axis inclined to said vertical axis, said armbeing arranged at an angle to said inclined axis so that in thevertically ydepending position of said arm it is parallel to saidvertical axis, and means to rotate said arm in timed relation with themovement of the container.

2. In a machine for lling material into containers, such as cans and thelike, having means for conveying the containers around in a circle.about a vertical axis, means for pressing the material into thecontainer, comprising an axle, an

arm journalled on said axle, a presser head on n said arm, avertically-adjustable mounting for said axle to support said axle in aninclined position with respect to said vertical axis, and means torotate said arm on said axle in timed relation with the movement of thecontainer, said arm being disposed at an angle to said axle so that inthe bottom dead center position thereof said arm is parallel to saidvertical axis, whereby said mounting may be vertically adjusted todetermine the depth of penetration of said presser head into thecontainer in the bo-ttom dead center position of said arm.

3. In a machine for filling material into containers, such as cans andthe like, having a rotary table provided with lling openings around itsperiphery, and means to convey the cans around in registry with saidlling openings, a packer wheel disposed above said table, said wheelbeing journalled on an axle inclined to the axis of rotation of saidtable, the spokes of said wheel being inclined with respect to saidaxle, presser heads on said spokes adapted to enter said lling openings,said heads and said openings having a common path of travel during thetime said heads are vdisposed in said openings, and fins on said presserheads to engage the lips of said openings Whereby said packer wheel isactuated by said table.

4. In a machine for lling material into containers, such as cans and thelike, having a rotary table provided with filling openings around itsperiphery, and means to convey the cans around in registry with saidfilling openings, a packer wheel disposed above a 4portion of saidtable, an axle to support said wheel for rotation, avertically-adjustable mounting for said axle adapted to support saidaxle with its axis intersecting the vertical axis of rotation of saidtable at an angle, said mounting being disposed outside the periphery ofsaid table, said wheel having a plurality of spokes each disposed at anangle to said axle, the angle of said spokes being the same as the anglebetween said axes, a presser head on each spoke, and means on said headsto engage the lips of said filling openings to transmit rotation to saidwheel from said table.

5. In a machine for lling material into containers such as cans and thelike having a rotary table provided with lling openings around itsperiphery, and means to convey the cans around in registry with saidfilling openings, a packer wheel disposed above said table, said wheelbeing journaled on an axle inclined to the axis of said table, thespokes of said wheel being inclined to said axle, presser heads on saidspokes each comprising a hub portion attached to the spoke and arelatively thin annular flange extending outwardly therefrom, theexternal diameter of said ange being substantially equal to the diameterof said filling opening, said heads and said openings having a commonpath of travel during the time said heads are disposed in said openings,and a n on said presser head to engage the lip of said opening wherebysaid packer Wheel is actuated by said table, said n being disposed onsaid presser head in a position where said n lies substantially tangentto said path of travel when said presser head is disposed Within saidopening.

6. In a machine for lling material into containers such as cans and thelike, having means for conveying the containers around in a circle abouta vertical axis, means for supplying liquid and pressing the materialinto the container, comprising an arm having a liquid conducting passagetherethrough and a presser head thereon, said arm being journaled on anaxis inclined to said vertical axis, said arm being arranged at an angleto said inclined axis so that in the vertically depending position ofsaid arm it is parallel to said vertical axis, means for supplyingliquid 'to the passage in said arm, and means to rotate said arm intimed relation with the movement of the container.

7. In a machine for lling material into containers, such as cans and thelike, having means for conveying the containers around in a circle abouta Vertical axis, means for supplying liquid and pressing the materialinto the container, comprising an axle, an arm journalledon said axle, apresser head on said arm, said arm and presser head having a liquidconducting passage therethrough, a vertically-adjustable mounting forsaid axle to support said axle in an inclined position with respect tosaid vertical axis, means for intermittently supplying liquid to saidpassage, and means to rotate said arm on said axle in timed relationwith the movement of the container, said arm being disposed at an angleto said axle so that in the bottom dead center position thereof said armis parallel to said vertical axis, whereby said mounting may bevertically adjusted to determine the depth of penetration of saidpresser head into the container in the bottom dead center position ofsaid arm.

HENRY MONDLOCI-I.

